Lost
by Elfana
Summary: When the team takes a break and goes to visit the beach, Shindou and Kirino end up getting lost. Shindou x Kirino. BL
1. The Beach

**A/N: **I do not own Inazuma Eleven (Go) or any of its characters.  
>This is my first try at a multi-chapter story, so, wish me luck at finishing it D:<p>

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><p>Kurama threw his surfboard on the sand, stretching his arms. "Hell yes! This is going to be awesome, right guys?" He said and turned around.<p>

Minamisawa disposed his shirt and brushed his fingers through his purple hair. "I guess so." He said and put on his sunglasses.

Tenma and Shinsuke had already run past the blue haired male, into the cold water. They came running back right after that, shivering.

"The sea is so cold!" Tenma laughed.

Tsurugi dropped a towel on Tenma's head, without saying anything and walked past them, going to the little beach shop, to buy himself something.

"I bet you can catch some nice fish here!" Hamano said and waved with his rod, almost smacking Hayami on the head. He grabbed his friend's hand, pulling the boy with him towards the water.

Amagi, Takuto and Kurumada placed some towels on the sand, together with parasols to shelter them from the sun. Ranmaru gladly sat down under one of them. He was, unlike all the others, still wearing a sleeveless hoodie together with his swimming trunks.

"Aren't you going to swim, Kirino-senpai?" Tenma asked as he placed the towel on the ground, next to his bag. "I'm sure the water won't be as cold when you're in for a while!"

"Let's go, Tenma!" Shinsuke beamed. He was wearing a light blue swimming ring with stars. "I want to swim the whole day!"

"Yes!" Tenma said and they made their way back to the water once more.

"Shindou, here is the sun lotion." Sangoku said and handed Takuto the yellow bottle.

"… Thanks?" He said, not sure what to do with it. It was an high factor and he almost never got sunburns because of his slightly tanned skin. "Uhm?"

Sangoku smeared the lotion on his arms and sat down. "For Kirino."

The pink haired boy's head snapped up and he raised his eyebrows. "I'm fine. I won't go in the sun."

"You can even get burnt in the shadows, especially if you skin is as pale as yours. I wonder why you don't get burnt on the field, Kirino." Hayami said, who had escaped Hamano's fishing-spree for the moment. He rummaged around in his own bag and took out sunblock. "Just so you know." He said to Ranmaru again. "You should really—"

"Yes, thanks. I will." Ranmaru said and snatched the bottle out of Takuto's hands.

"Alright then. I'll go back to Hamano now. I think he caught something…" He said and sprinted back to his friend who was waving and gesturing like he had gone mad.

Ranmaru popped the bottle and poured some of the sun crème on his legs. He hissed. "It's cold."

"Yes, isn't it nice?" Amagi mused as he emptied a water bottle on his head. "It's so hot outside today. Perhaps I should take a swim too."

Takuto was watching how his best friend was fighting with the sunblock. "Don't forget to put some on your face. Cheeks, noses and shoulders are most of the time the first to burn." The pink boy just pouted at him.

"Be careful with putting it on your face, Kirino!" Kurumada warned. "It hurts when you get it in your eyes." He nodded.

"Can you help me?" Ranmaru said, shoving the bottle back to Takuto.

"A-Ah. Of course. Hold still, okay?" He squeezed the bottle and a little amount formed on his hand. He dipped his fingertips in the sun crème and smeared it on Ranmaru's cheeks. They were soft and warm. He messaged it with his thumb and moved to the other. He could feel Ranmaru's big blue eyes stare at him.

"Shin-sama!" Akane mused and her camera flashed, capturing the moment. "Ahh~" She said as she dreamily held her camera close.

"What is going on here?" Midori said as she threw herself down between Sangoku and Amagi. "Being lovey-dovey?"

"Aren't they always?" Kurumada teased. "Just best friends my ass."

Takuto saw Ranmaru's cheeks get a rosy colour and he quickly withdrew his hand. "Done."

"Thanks, T-Takuto." Ranmaru stuttered, embarrassed. He stuck his hands in the front pocket of his hoodie and stared at the sea. He spotted Aoi splashing water at Tenma and Shinsuke.

"Shin-sama looks so cute in that blue swimming shorts…" Akane said as she took another picture. "Are you going to swim, Shin-sama? I wouldn't mind…"

"Oh, Akane! Did the sun get to you already?" Midori said as she smacked the other girl on her back, making her jump. "If you want to see Shindou swim, you should probably convince Kirino in getting from that spot." She said as she pointed at the pink haired boy.

Kurumada snorted. "Yes, probably." He stood up. "I'm going over to Kurama and Minamisawa. I think I want to catch some waves too." He said and gave everyone thumbs up.

"Oh!" Midori jumped up too. "I love surfing!" She suddenly whipped a pink surfboard out of thin air and cackled. "I will now show you all my skills!"

"Midori!" Akane said, almost amazed at her friend. She quickly took a picture before turning back to Takuto again, who was talking to Sangoku.

Sangoku was busy unpacking the lunch boxed they had made. "I think it's best to swim now, because swimming right after eating is bad." He said and unpacked the cups. "You have to wait at least half an hour after dinner before swimming." He wiped the sweat of his forehead before opening a can of soda, taking a gulp.

"Alright, then." Takuto turned around and smiled at Ranmaru. "Do you want to go swimming?"

Ranmaru bit his lip. "Uh… Sure." He said, unable to say no to Takuto's pleading eyes. He grabbed his friend's hand and let him pull him on his feet.

.

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><p>.<p>

"So cold!" Ranmaru giggled when the water tickled around his legs. The water was reaching to his knees where he was standing.

Takuto pushed the inflatable crocodile against Ranmaru's legs, making him wobble.

"Oh no!" Takuto teased. "Watch out!"

"Idiot! I'm still wearing a shirt—" With that the crocodile slipped out of Takuto's fingers and smacked into the younger boy's face, making him lose his balance. Arms flapped through the air and a splash made the water move.

The pink haired boy had wrapped his legs around the inflatable animal, laying on top of it, glaring at his friend. "That was sneaky!"

"I'm sorry," Takuto smiled and dived under water. He swam underneath Ranmaru and the crocodile, popping up again right next to them. He started pulling the crocodile with him, swimming away from the coast.

"The water is very nice." Takuto said and turned around, long after they had passed the point where either of them could reach the ground.

Ranmaru watched how Takuto's usually curly hair was flatted from the water, dripping in his eyes. He reached out and moved the hair out of his face, with both hands. Blue eyes met brown and both blushed.

A wave rolled up behind them, knocking them over without a warning. The crocodile got pushed away and Ranmaru disappeared under water. Which way was up again? He saw Takuto reaching out for him.

Hands touched and finger interlocked before another wave pushed them apart under water.


	2. The Forest

**A/N: **Phew, I am tired. Almost falling asleep, to be honest. Also: _I do not own Inazuma Eleven (Go) or any of its characters. _

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><p>Takuto opened his eyes, moving around. His fingers sunk into the sand beneath him. He coughed and propped himself up, blinking a few times. It was getting dark. How long had he been out? He remembered water… and being unable to breath and…<p>

His head shot up. "Ra—"

There was something laying on the sand, too far to identify but close enough to recognize as a human shape. "Oh… god please." Takuto gasped and crawled over.

"Ranmaru…" He whispered as he got close enough to touch him. He turned his friend around, looking at his closed eyes. "Ran… Hey, Ran…" He pressed his ear against Ranmaru's chest. Soft thumping of a heart made him sigh relieved. His eyes closed again, just listening to his friends heartbeat.

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><p>.<p>

The next time Takuto opened his eyes, he felt something brush through his hair. The sound of a heart pumping blood filled his head. "Ranmaru?"

"Yes?" The slow reply came.

The brown haired male moved and looked at Ranmaru's face. Blood was on the left side of his face but he was still slightly smiling. Takuto felt tears coming up.

"I was so scared, Ran. I thought you had died when I saw you here and then—" Tears leaked over his cheeks onto Ranmaru's face.

"Hey, don't cry. I'm fine."

Takuto wiped his face and looked around. It was light now. They had slept through the night.

"My head hurts a little." Ranmaru said and crawled into a sitting position. He brushed his fingers against his head, colouring them red with his blood. "Should we clean it? Do you have any wounds?"

"No. I don't have anything." Takuto said. "… We should walk…"

"To where?"

"Following the coast. We're probably still on the same land, just a little to the right… or left…"

Ranmaru looked around. "Yes, that sounds good." Behind them was just some bushes and trees.

"Wait." Takuto walked around and ripped, not as smooth as he would have liked, the hood of Ranmaru's hoodie. The fabric was being ripped into shreds, and bound around Ranmaru's head. "There, that should do it for now."

"Can you walk?" Takuto asked and got himself onto his feet. He stretched his muscles.

"Not sure. Can you help me up?" Ranmaru lifted his arms and wrapped them around Takuto. They both stayed tangled together longer than they would ever admit to anyone.

"Okay. We should walk… to the right? Perhaps?" Takuto said as he let go of the slightly smaller boy.

Ranmaru grabbed his right hand and locked their fingers together. "Please… don't let go of my hand, okay?" He still remembered the moment under water. It had been so scary. Being unable to breath, to see… and when he finally grasped Takuto's hand, they had been ripped apart again.

Takuto squeezed his hand.

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><p>.<p>

"Haa—Haa … ahh. Wait. W-wait." Ranmaru gasped and leaned against Takuto, their hands still locked together. "I really need to sit down a little… My head is pounding…"

Takuto frowned worriedly and steadied his friend. "Let's go to the shadows, okay?" He turned his back to Ranmaru, holding his hands back. "Get up. I know you're about to protest, but please, just get on." He listened to Ranmaru's breath and felt his body on his back. He wrapped his arms around Ranmaru's legs and got up, walking towards the trees.

With his arms wrapped tightly around Takuto's shoulders, he just leaned against him. It was always nice to be close to Takuto…

"Okay, wait here. I'll look for something to drink." Takuto said and placed Ranmaru against a tree.

Not much later, the brown haired male came back, holding some fruits in his hands. He handed one to Ranmaru. "Here. I think I've eaten these before." The rest was placed aside. Takuto sat down in front of his friend, who was eating the juicing fruit. He brushed the hair away to undo the temporarily bandages. "It's just a scratch, it doesn't look too serious."

"Did it stop bleeding?"

"Yes." Takuto frowned at the bloody cloth in his hands. It was better to have the wound protected, but using the dirty bandages again wasn't a good idea to prevent infections. "Perhaps if we go a little further into the forest, or whatever it is, we'll find a pool or better, a house. We can't be far from civilisation…"

"You have to eat something too." Ranmaru said and got up, using the tree to keep him standing. "Open up." He positioned the fruit in his hand in front of Takuto's lips.

A blush grew on the brunet's cheeks and he quickly took a bite, taking the fruit in his own hand. Their fingers touched and eyes met. Both started to lean towards each other, eyes still locked together.

Suddenly the pink haired male sneezed and the spell was broken. They both turned around, blushing madly. Takuto was trying his hardest to not let his moment of panic and embarrassment show. He wasn't afraid to cry in front of Ranmaru, it was more that he was scared of rejection of some sort.

Meanwhile, Ranmaru had buried his head in his hands, wondering why he suddenly felt so hot.

.

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><p>.<p>

Several hours later, when it was getting dark again, they still had made no progress in getting near a village or people other than them. It looked like there was no end to this forest. They had passed a little river where they washed themselves. Ranmaru was wearing the now more or less clean bandage around his head again. He was walking behind his friend, admiring his naked back without thinking. The way Takuto's muscles moved when he walked was very hypnotizing.

They had always been close friends… Having sleepovers, practicing football together. Why was it that now when Takuto touched him his breath sped up and he started blushing? The others sometimes joked about them being a couple…

Would being a couple mean that Takuto would give him another piggyback ride? Being a couple meant kissing each other, touching each other…

The pink male could say without a doubt that he liked Takuto. He loved him, even, for everything that he was. He admired that Takuto would sometimes cry, showing his feelings freely. He was a passionately person, in everything that he did.

"Hey, Ranmaru?" Takuto suddenly spoke up as he stopped walking, turning around.

His friend bumped into him, his arms wrapping themselves around Takuto's torso. "Hey… Has anyone ever told you that you have a beautiful back?"

"What? No, I—" Takuto gently pushed his friend back a little, slightly startled by this odd behaviour. Ranmaru's cheeks were red and he was panting slightly.

Takuto brushed up Ranmaru's bangs with his left hand and his own with his right, pressing their foreheads together. The younger boy ogled at him. "Takuto…" He whimpered and flicked his pink tongue over Takuto's lips. "You taste like the fruit we had earlier." He giggled. This convinced his suspicion.

"Hey… I think you've got a fever."

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><p><strong>AN: **Meh, I didn't like this. But I decided to just get on with it, so I can finish and move on to new one-shots :3 Will start writing chapter 3 tomorrow.


	3. The Fever

**A/N: **I still do not own Inazuma Eleven (Go) or any of its characters~

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><p>"Fever… fever… Body hydrates…" Takuto mumbled while carrying Ranmaru once more on his back. "I need to find water." His friend's body was unhealthy warm, which meant he should be cooled down to increase his comfort. "Hang in there, Ran…"<p>

Ranmaru had collapsed not long ago, tired and feverish. What if his wound got infected? Takuto shook his head. "No. Find water first." He refused to think about what happened if his friend continued in this state.

"We have to… defeat Fifth Sector…" Ranmaru mumbled. "SEED's…"

"Are you still awake?" Takuto questioned. "Hey… Stay with me, you can't sleep yet." He said and moved his arms, shaking the pink haired boy slightly.

"Don't do that..."

Takuto sighed in relief. "How are you feeling?"

"It's cold…"

The Raimon captain bit his lip. Ranmaru's body was burning… did this mean the fever was getting the best of him? Just when he was about to just start crying, he heard the sound of running water. A few meters away was a little river. The water was clear and some fishes splashed around.

"Phew…" Takuto said and placed Ranmaru on a soft looking spot. His body was still very warm yet he was shivering. "What should I do?"

"Hey… Takuto…" Ranmaru said, his eyes closed. "I once asked Akane for a picture…" He stirred in his friend's arms. "She made me pay for it…"

"What are you talking about?"

"She always takes pictures of you… and I wanted one…"

"Silly, if you wanted one you could have asked me. I'll give you a thousand pictures if it makes you happy." He said, feeling embarrassed for saying it out loud.

Ranmaru's lips curved into a smile and he made a pleased noise. He managed to get himself on top of his friend and dozed off. Sleeping out the fever was probably the best they could do right now… Takuto idly played with Ranmaru's pink hair, staring at the sky.

Ranmaru and Sangoku are is best friends. He knew he could always count on them. Still, his relationship with the pink haired male was a little different than his relationship with the goalkeeper. Just seeing Ranmaru was enough to instantly brighten his day…

Said boy shifted in his sleep, almost rolling into the grass. Takuto wrapped his arms a little tighter around him, holding him close. Fortunately, his temperature had gone down.

His own stomach growled. It had been hours since they had lunch… and said lunch had been just two juicy fruits, neither knowing what it had been. He decided he would look for something to eat when his friend woke up again. Sleep was always the best way to cure a fever.

After some time Ranmaru shifted around and rubbed in his eye. He had slept peacefully. He took his time waking up completely and enjoyed the feeling of fingers combing through his hair, playing with it. He could feel Takuto's chest go up and down. He moved some more to make himself more comfortable and was about to just nod off again, safely in his friends arms.

"I know you're awake." Takuto spoke softly. "You have to drink something and I need to look for some food. How are you feeling?"

Ranmaru grumbled and moved himself so he could sit on his own. "I feel a little better… I'm indeed thirsty."

"Well, we can't just go and drink from the river… If we could boil it…" Takuto muttered. He stretched his muscles and rubbed his neck. "Perhaps there are some more of those fruits nearby… They were pretty full of juice."

"I'll go with you."

"You should rest some more." Takuto checked Ranmaru's temperature by pressing their foreheads together. They both blushed but neither commented on it. "We don't want your fever to go up again."

"I feel like such a bother… I want to help you."

"Hey… You can't help it when you're ill." Takuto smiled. "Just take it easy, I'll be back soon."

The brown haired boy was about to walk away when his friend spoke up again. "A-ah… Takuto… Did I say anything weird?"

The captain stopped in his tracks. "What do you mean?" He said, nervously.

"Uhm…" Ranmaru looked at the ground, his face completely red. "I had a strange dream…"

"It was probably just the fever, don't worry about it." Takuto said and started walking again.

"So I did say something!" Ranmaru gasped. He hid his face behind his hands. "T-Takuto…"

His friend stopped walking once more and turned around, seeing a flustered and embarrassed Ranmaru near the river. "You said something about pictures."

The blush on Ranmaru's face darkened and his big blue eyes stared at his friend. "Ooh…" Was all that escaped his lips. "W-Well. I want a picture of my best friend… I mean… we're… friends after all."

Takuto felt a stab in his chest at the word _friends_ for some reason but ignored it and smiled. "We'll take one together once we're home." A smile was beamed at him.  
>.<p>

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><p>.<p>

They had gotten on the move again, both carrying some fruits Takuto had found. It was getting dark again and both boys were tired. Still, Takuto would check Ranmaru's forehead or ask how he was feeling every now and then.

"Arg… We're going up aren't we? Why does there has to be a hill here?" Ranmaru moaned as he kicked the ground, adjusting his water shoes. He was glad the beach where they had been was always full of rocks, so they had put on water shoes when they went for a swim.

"Well, there could be something wonderful when we get to the top of it." Takuto said, as he bit into the fruit in his hand.

"I suppose…" Ranmaru said, and smiled to himself. "It would be nice if there was a bed up there… I could go for a nap…"

"Again? You've slept for at least two hours on my stomach."

Ranmaru blushed. "W-well, you know. Being sick and all this walking is making me tired."

His friend yawned in response.

When they finally reached the top, both of them gasped. It was dark now, and at the foot of the hill, they could see a city. The lights were shining to them as a warm welcome.

"We… We made it!" Ranmaru exclaimed. "All we have to do is go down and then we can call home… Let them know we're fine! Takuto!" He almost jumped onto his friend's back, hugging him. "We made it!"

"We should wait until tomorrow…" Takuto said, as he inspected the ground. "The hill is a lot more unstable on this side… We won't be able to see what we're standing on, if we go now."

Ranmaru puffed out air. "I… I just want to go home." He said, his sudden feeling of happiness all gone. He had been outside for more than a day now… He had been strong enough… He just wanted to go home. He sniffed his nose and tried not to cry, but it was no use.

The whole night, Takuto comforted him.

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><p><strong>AN: **We all know Takuto was giving his all not to weep together with his friend, hoho~


	4. The City

**A/N: **I do not own Inazuma Eleven (Go) or any of its characters. :3

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><p>Ranmaru hid his eyes behind his arm. The sun was shining in his face and he couldn't say he was done sleeping yet. Consciousness kicked in slowly and he became aware of something digging in his arm, hurting him. With a sigh he got up and pushed away the tree branch he had been laying on.<p>

"Good morning." Takuto said. He was sitting on a stone, watching the city below. "I already ate. I left some for you." He pointed at the little heap of fruits. "We can go when you're done."

"Ah, sure." Ranmaru tried to eat as quickly as he could, without choking. Not much later they began to make their way down the hill.

The pink haired boy was a few steps in front of his friend. "I can't wait until we get home… I want a bath, and noodles…" He mused. "After that I will go to bed and sleep the whole day."

Takuto chuckled. "That sounds nice, yes."

They made their way over rocks and between trees, careful not to step on a loose rock.

"You know… I think we're closer now than before we got lost." Ranmaru suddenly said, purposely not looking at the Raimon captain.

"Hm?"

"I mean… I…" He was struggling to find the right words. "I… You've… I always considered you my best friend…"

"Yes. Me too."

"Ah… Um. Takuto…" Ranmaru said and turned to look at him. "I... Well… No. Never mind. Be careful. There are many rocks here." The pink haired boy turned around again, walking towards the city, which was getting closer each step.

Half an hour later they opened a door, entering a little shop. "Hello, miss." Takuto said to the lady behind the counter. "Could we perhaps use a telephone? We got lost two days ago and have finally reached this city…"

"Oh! But of course! Go ahead."  
>.<p>

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><p>.<p>

"Ranmaru! My baby!" Mrs Kirino rushed towards her son, capturing him in a bear hug. "We were so worried about you guys! I'm so glad you got back safely!"

Mr and Mrs Kirino were staying at the Shindou residence after Takuto had called home. Mr Shindou had picked them up from the store where they had used the telephone. Takuto had cried the whole way home, finally able to let out all his tears.

"Mum…" Ranmaru buried his face in his mother's chest. "I missed you. I got a fever… Takuto took care of me."

"My baby!" She was still sobbing. She quickly checked her son's temperature and held his face between her hands, kissing his forehead. "Ranmaru…"

"Why don't we go inside." Mrs Shindou proposed. "The kids can take a shower after eating something. You must be starving!"

"No, we got some food from the lady at the shop. We should give her some money later." Takuto said, as he let go of his mother. "I would like to take a bath, though." He said, looking at the dirty smudges on his limbs.

"Me too." Ranmaru said, escaping his mother's arms. "If that's okay, of course."

"Of course, darling!" Mrs Shindou said and smiled. "You can use the bathroom in the guestrooms."

"I'll lend you my clothes." Takuto said and started walking, kicking off his water shoes in the progress. He opened the door to his room and rummaged around in the closet. "Here. I bet you can't wait to get out of these clothes too." He smiled as he handed his friend the clothes.

"Thank you." Ranmaru said.

"You know where the guestrooms are, right?" Takuto asked as he threw his own change of clothes on his bed. "Go right two times and then they should be at your left."

"Okay. If I get lost, please rescue me." Ranmaru laughed and closed the door behind him. He walked the route Takuto described and indeed found the guestrooms. He placed the clothes on a king-sized bed in one of the rooms, entering the attached bathroom. The bathroom was nice and clean. He spotted some fluffy towels and turned the tab, letting the water run.

Wriggling out of his dirty clothes, he peeked into the mirror. One of his pigtails was loose and he spotted a mud smudge on his cheek. The boy sighed and slowly climbed into the bath, the water was warm and the soap he had used made quite a few bubbles.

"Ahh…" He mumbled as he soaked into the water. The bath was huge, he could lay in it completely without having his feet or head hitting the edge. He washed body and his hair, rinsing out the shampoo. He repeated it once more, making sure his hair was clean and held his head under the showerhead.

Ranmaru felt refreshed and clean when he wrapped himself in a white towel, exiting the bathroom. Drips of water fell on the carpet under his feet as he walked to the bed, reaching for the clothes. He dropped the towel when someone knocked on the door, opening it.

"Hey, Ranmaru, are you—" Takuto eyed his friend and blushed, panicking. "Ah! I'm sorry! I ah—" He closed the door again. "I'm so sorry!" He yelled through the door.

"It's fine… It's not like this is the first time… I mean.. the football showers…" Ranmaru rambled, blushing madly.

"Of course." Takuto said. "I'll see you downstairs, then." Ranmaru could hear him walking away.

He quickly grabbed the clothes of the bed and put them on. When he yanked the shirt over his head, he could faintly smell some of Takuto's scent. He sniffed… Mostly the soap the maids used to wash the clothes… but there still was a little lingering scent that could only be Takuto's.  
>.<p>

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><p>.<p>

On the other side of the door, Takuto was trying to calm down. His face was flushed and his heart was beating so loud, he was sure everyone in the house could hear it. Ranmaru was right. They had seen each other naked so many times after football practice. Why… was he blushing now?

When did he start thinking of Ranmaru this way? Was it because of their time together these last days? Could it be that he had gone mad? Was it the lack of good sleep?

Now that he thought about it, he would miss sleeping with Ranmaru close to him. The last two days, Ranmaru was always by his side… He didn't think he would ever grow tired of hearing Ranmaru's calm breath when he slept or the feeling of brushing his fingers through the pink hair.

The Raimon captain walked downstairs, shaking his head. "Calm down, Takuto." He mumbled to himself. He opened the door and smiled at his parents. Ranmaru's parents were sitting across them, drinking tea.

"Takuto, dear! Welcome back." Mrs Shindou said and pointed at the table. "Would you like a cup of tea?" There was also a plate with sweets and cookies.

He took a cup with tea and sat down in a loveseat. "Did you—"

"Yes, we've called Sangoku. He said he would call the rest of the team, to let them know you guys are found and doing okay." His father said.

"Thanks." Takuto said and lifted his tea to his lips, taking a sip.

After some minutes in silence, a maid opened the door. "Look, here we are, mister Kirino." Said boy was walking behind her, blushing. "Thank you." He said, awkwardly bowing to the maid.

"It was my pleasure." She bowed too, and wandered off again. Ranmaru walked into the room, brushing his hair over his shoulders.

"I got lost." He admitted. "I also used a hair brush… My hair was a mess."

"Don't worry about it, Ranmaru." Mrs Shindou said. "You can get some tea from the table, if you like."

The pink haired boy took a cup with tea and sat down in the same chair as Takuto. It was big enough for at least three people. "Do you, by any chance, have some hair ties for me?" He asked his friend.

"No, you'll have to wait until you get home." _But your hair is so pretty down like this… and I don't want you to go. _He added silently in his mind.

"Hehe, too bad." Ranmaru giggled, like he had heard what his friend thought, teasing him about it. The defender took a sip of his tea and made himself comfortable. "It's good to be back."

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><p><strong>AN: **Thank you for reading this far! There will probably be one more chapter to go~


	5. The Confession

**A/N: **This is, thank goodness, the last chapter xD I'm not too pleased with it, but I think I should end it here. I've already a few new ideas so, yes. Thank you for sticking with me through this story, I love you all!

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inazuma Eleven Go or any of its characters. _

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><p>That night Takuto couldn't sleep. His bed, usually warm and comfortable felt empty and cold. It was also too silent in his room for his liking. He missed something, and was almost certain that something was his best friend who was at home, right now. He wondered if Ranmaru was able to sleep.<p>

He rolled around in his bed and grabbed his cell phone from his nightstand. He flipped it open and checked the time. It was already 2:34 AM. He closed the phone again and dropped it next to his pillow.

In a few hours he had to get out of bed again, be present at breakfast and practice his piano plays for an hour or two. He closed his eyes, trying to sleep. He should be tired but the anxious feeling of missing the Raimon defender was stealing his precious night time.

Suddenly a blue light brightened up his room. He turned his head and picked up his cell phone once more.

_1 new message. _

Who would text him in the middle of the night? He secretly hoped it was Ranmaru.

_Dude, Shindou. You guys had us all worried! Want to hang out today? – Sangoku. _

Okay, so it was not Ranmaru. Like he had thought before, the pink haired boy was probably sleeping. They both had some rough nights, it was only normal.

_Perhaps tomorrow. Piano practice, like I wasn't lost these last days. Why are you up? – Shindou. _

He turned his cell phone off, not wanting to be bothered when he was trying so hard to get some sleep. He would call Ranmaru later. To hear how he was feeling and if he had slept okay. And if he would like to come over and…

"Young master!" The maid opened the door and smiled. "Good morning, young master. It's 8:30 AM right now, and your parents are expecting you downstairs within 30 minutes for breakfast."

Takuto groaned and pushed the covers off his body, while the maid pushed open the curtains. The light was too bright and he couldn't even remember falling asleep. It felt like he had slept for 10 seconds. He reached for his cell phone and turned it on again, curious if Sangoku had replied.

_2 new messages. _

_No reason, really. I was trying out some receipts. – Sangoku. _

Takuto chuckled and quickly replied with a proposal for a meeting tomorrow. He opened his second text message, which was send earlier this morning, around 7 AM.

_Can I come over? – Ran._

His heart almost jumped out of his chest as he replied with trembling fingers.

_Of course. When would you like? – Taku. _

_Is now okay? I know it's still early but I have to tell you something. – Ran._

_Sure. I do have to practice piano though. – Taku._

_I'm there in an hour. – Ran._

.

* * *

><p><em>.<br>_

Ranmaru panted as he raced through the streets. He had promised he would be there at 9:30 and he was running late. Today would be the day he confessed all these feelings for Takuto. He knew there was no point in keeping it a secret. Takuto was his best friend for years, and keeping something from him felt as betrayal. He would never betray Takuto.

He waited for the traffic light and wondered how he would start. He wasn't even completely sure what he was feeling to begin with. Was this love? Everyday Minamisawa-senpai would get a love letter from a giggling and blushing girl. Ranmaru had never gotten one, but didn't really mind. It was not like there was a girl he was hoping he would get a letter from. The person most dear to him had always been Takuto.

He tried picturing Takuto giving him a love letter but the scene changed to _him _giving the Raimon captain a love letter. He blushed and shook his head. That was so embarrassing!

Ten minutes later he stopped in front of the huge villa the Shindou family lived in. He parked his bike against the wall and pressed on the intercom.

The screen buzzed before Takuto's face appeared. "Ah, Ranmaru! I'll open the gate."

"Thanks." Ranmaru smiled and the screen went black again. Five seconds later the gate opened and he took his bike inside. The iron gate closed behind him again, as he got on his bike again and cycled the path towards the front door.

The door swung open before he even had the time to catch his breath. Cheek flustered, slightly panting he walked inside, trying to calm down.

Meanwhile Takuto was trying to not kidnap Ranmaru to his room, to never let him go again. His friend looked appealing for some reason and he couldn't get himself to look away.

"Did you sleep well?" Takuto asked, breaking the silence.

"Yes, I did!" Ranmaru answered, truthfully. He had slept through the whole night, his dreams filled with a certain brown haired captain.

"I had some trouble with it…" Takuto said, feeling disappointed that Ranmaru had apparently not missed him at all. "Anyway, you wanted to tell me something?"

Ranmaru turned red once more and started playing with his shirt. "Y-yes… Say, Takuto… Did you ever got a love letter?" He asked. It hadn't been what he was trying to say, but at least it wasn't too far of the topic he wanted to talk about.

"Yes, why do you ask? Did you got one?" He remembered the time when he got a letter from Akane. She had been so nervous. He had turned her down, but she didn't mind. She had been glad he had thanked her for her feelings.

"No, that's not it… I- uhm… Can… Can I try something?" Ranmaru said, waiting for Takuto's reaction. When the brown haired boy nodded Ranmaru spoke up again. "C-Could you close your eyes? I want to confirm something…"

Takuto closed his eyes and waited. He felt two warm hands on his shoulders and he felt Ranmaru's breath on his cheek. "No peeking…" Ranmaru whispered, as he leaned in and closed the distance between them.

Ranmaru couldn't describe it any other way than total bliss. He was a little shorter than the brunet, so he balanced on his toes, making him afraid of falling when he started getting dizzy. The feeling of being so close to Takuto was amazing and he never wanted to let go ever again.

The Raimon captain opened his eyes, even after promising he wouldn't peek and broke the kiss. Ranmaru was panting, flustered. His pink lashed eyes opened slowly, blinking. His brow was slightly tilted upwards.

Brown eyes met with terrified blue ones. "I-I'm sorry. I…" But Takuto shook his head and leaned in again, this time wrapping his arms around his friend, returning the kiss. He felt Ranmaru's hands tangle themselves in his brown curls. When they parted for air, Takuto rested his forehead against the Raimon defender's.

"Was your confirmation correct?" Takuto asked and prayed Ranmaru had been thinking about the same things he had been struggling with all night.

"I guess so, yes." Ranmaru whispered.

"… And the conclusion is?"

"I like you." Ranmaru had lowered his gaze to the ground, refusing to meet Takuto's eyes.

Takuto's grip tightened on his friend and he dropped his head on Ranmaru's shoulder. "I missed you already. I couldn't sleep because the room was too silent without you there. What I am trying to say here is… I like you too." Takuto watched how Ranmaru blushed and giggled adorably at him.

"Can I kiss you once more?" Takuto asked, embarrassed.

"As many times as you like."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Phew, and that was that. I think I'll write a story where they are already together sometime in the future. Not a continuation of this, though. Anyway, thanks a bunch for reading this far! I'm really flattered! Until next time~


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